Crossroads of Two Worlds

9- Nowhere To Go But Up

July 18th
9:36 AM

"Come on Alana, fight!" Adrian said as he bounced on his toes like a boxer, without gloves and with deadly sharp swords, "You can do better than that! Let's go!"

I was struggling this morning, barely able to complete maneuvers I had learned weeks ago. Today had progressed from bad to worse to hell. When my prank on Noah hadn't worked, I got frustrated. Then my mother forgot to message me, then I nearly fell off the lava wall and burned my favorite pants in the process. And now I couldn't seem to find my mode where nothing else mattered but the fight I was currently getting beat at. My body was tired and so was my brain. I'd been shoving information and strategy and everything demigod into my brain for what felt like ages and I couldn't stand it. I was just about done with all of it.

I almost screamed in frustration when he smacked me on the back with the flat side of his sword.

I dropped both my swords and yelled, "STOP!!"

I fell down to the ground in defeat and whispered to him, my eyes facing the ground, "I'm done, I surrender."

Adrian knelt down in front of me and asked in a quiet voice so no one else could hear, "Alana, what's on your mind? It sure as heck isn't sword fighting. Talk to me, Speedy."

I almost started to cry at his kindness. I hadn't received such love and faith bestowed upon me until I arrived at this camp, and yet, it seemed as if the world was crashing down. It was crushing me, pushing the air from my lungs until I could hardly breathe.

I swallowed thickly and tried to talk, "My whole life has been turned upside down! Then sideways, then thrown into a freaking tornado! Nothing is normal anymore! I was excited at first but now I don't know what to do! I live in two different countries and two different worlds, soon to be three. I am good at sword fighting but I don't actually want to hurt anyone. And that's the only thing I'm good at! So far, I don't have any powers and no one knows what they will be if they ever show! Everyone says that my power will come in time, but I don't feel powerful unless I have my swords and I can't always rely on them to save me. I don't know what to do, Adrian. I just don't know."

I finally looked up at him and saw him deep in thought. He was genuinely listening to me and considering my problems without spouting off useless advice. He'd sat on the ground and pulled his knees closer to his chest. His piercing grey eyes shone in the sunlight and swam with understanding. Then suddenly he looked me straight in the eyes, "You wanna know why you haven't seen any sign of your power yet? Because it is waiting for you to give it a clear path to be free. As much as you think you want your power, you are still scared of it. We all were, at one point. Heck, it took me years before I could even mold a drop of water! But you need to accept your powers into your life before your power will give itself to you. As much as I tease my sister, she is one of the smartest, strongest people I know, and even she has trouble with her powers. Your powers will come in time, when that path is clear. And you wanna know something else?"

He squeezed my hands and I looked at him as he smiled, "Huh?" I mumbled in question.

His smile saddened, "the best way to clear a pathway is by letting go of your emotions, accepting them for what they are... and you just did."

A drop of rain spattered on his cheek and then one hit my nose, as I turned to look at the sky. It had been blue only moments ago.

But it was churning. The storm clouds moved around in a tantalizing fashion. And suddenly, a huge BOOM shook the camp. Lightning flashed and thunder rolled across the sky. And it was all me. It had to be, The Camp never got bad weather unless it was our fault.